Jumping Back Into Things

Jumping back into things today, the three of us.  School this morning, and a work day with a service tonight - we had a lot going on right off the bat.  Madison had enrichment tonight - she's working on an art project that involves sun rays and patterns, and she loves it so much that she worked on it at home as well.  Daddy got to spend a bit of time this evening with the family, the three of us enjoying Taco Tuesday... on Wednesday.  It was make-up Taco Tuesday.

Tonight, Daddy was working on a message for the Olympic-themed Wednesday night series, something based on the biathlon a bit, and a few clips from the Jamaican bobsled team.


Some of you may have heard this, but today, Billy Graham passed away.  He was ninety-nine years old, and for those of you who don’t realize it, this man was one of the most important people to walk the face of the earth these last 100 years.  

Listen to this:  this guy preached the gospel - in person - to at least 215 million people.  By the time television and radio and the internet came along, his messages were shared with even more people.  They’re still playing his messages, especially today.

As great as this man was, listen to his own words:  “I am not going to heaven because I have preached to great crowds or read the Bible many times.  I’m going to Heaven just like the thief on the cross who aid in that last moment:  ‘Lord, remember me.’ “ 

He was humble.  He knew he had his own personal failings throughout his life.  Listen to this one quote:  “The Christian life is not a constant high.  I have my moments of deep discouragement.  I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes and say, ‘O God, forgive me, or help me.’”

Today, he is in heaven, and this one scripture pretty much sums it up:

"I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith."  2 Timothy 4:7 NIRV

And that’s what we’re talking about today:  the race.  Last night, the Americans did something they haven’t done in a while with a race.  We’re still in the Olympics this week, and we’ve been watching all the sports.  But there’s this one called the skiathlon, which is 15 kilometers - just about ten miles long.

Yesterday was a team event where two teammates race against all the others, and let’s just say it this way:  no Americans have never even gotten a medal in this event.  Ever.  Kikkan Randall said this was her last try at the Olympics.  She was there at the Olympics in 2002 in Utah, and she came in 44th.  Her first World Cup race?  She came in last place.  So here she is with pretty much her last try at the Olympics.  They’ve been racing for seven kilometers.  And let’s see what happens:

CUE VIDEO:  “Diggins and Randall - Cross Country Victory”

What a win!  A lot of people might be tempted to give up coming in dead last, and then 44th.  And never winning.  And here you are, five Olympics later, and nobody thinks you have a chance at a medal, let alone winning the gold medal!  But she didn’t give up, did she?

Here’s another amazing story from this Olympics, and in the same sport.  This one is a brutal sport, about ten miles long uphill and downhill, in subfreezing weather.  I want you to see what happened to this one guy from Norway, how bad it was… and what he did afterwards.”

CUE VIDEO:  “KRUEGER’S MIRACLE ON SNOW”

He fell down, got trampled, was in last place, and had a ski actually rip a hole through his number bib there.  Talk about a bad start!  But even though he fell and fell hard, he got back up again, and didn’t quit.  Even though he fell, he didn’t stop trying.

And that’s what our life is all about.  We all fall.  We all mess up.  We all make terrible mistakes.

I was just reading about a guy from the Bible named David.  Everyone knows David, who took down the giant.  According the Bible, he was “a man after God’s own heart.”  But I’m reading a book now about how bad he messed up too.  I mean, this guy had some terrible sins.  And yet, by the end of it all, he still is remembered as a man after God’s own heart.  How do you do that?  How do you go from loser that’s fallen on the ground so hard… to a winner?

Repent, and get back up again.  It can seem pointless.  Voices might be jeering.  In fact, you might be hearing voices that are making fun of someone else who’s fallen down.  You could be one of those voices, making fun of someone else for falling.

That’s bad.  What’s good, though, is this:  watching someone get back up again.  You feel a little guilty when you laugh at people when they fall.  But there’s something inspiring about watching someone rise from a fall.  In fact, there's a great movie about a bobsled team some time ago.  The movie is called, "Cool Runnings," and it's about some athletes that tried to make it to the Summer Games.

CUE VIDEO:  COOL RUNNINGS FALLING DURING THE RACE

It didn't go so well.  But this is the theme of life.  What do you do when you fall?  You get up.  These guys wanted to represent Jamaica in a sport, so they did the one Olympic event that they could:  the bobsled.  And despite everyone laughing about it at first, the truth is they did really well.  All that led up to this final run.

CUE VIDEO:  COOL RUNNINGS FINISH THE RACE

He said, "I must finish the race."  And that brings us full circle.  Some time ago, Paul was nearing the end of his life, but no matter what came at him and no matter how many times he fell down - or was knocked down - he got back up and said it again and again, "I must finish the race."  Put another way, he said this: 

"I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith."  2 Timothy 4:7 NIRV

I have finished the race.  There's a sense of accomplishment, the end of a remarkable journey that we're all going on.  God has something amazing planned for all of us, and that destination is there.  The question is, are you going to let setbacks and falls keep you down?  Quitters never win.  But winners never quit.  Let God help you get back up again.  Together you can finish the race!


It actually went really well today.  There have been so many inspiring moments from these Olympics, as there usually are each Winter Games.  One story that is forming as we type here is the US Curling Team story, which hopefully will end well.  We'll have details about that in time, but beyond that, so many great stories.  Madison has been into it this year, wanting to see videos each morning before school, just little clips of accomplishments, remarkable runs, or figure skating performances.  Her favorite athletes this year are the Shibutani siblings, who still have a bit of skating to do later this week with the Olympic Gala.

In any event, it's time for bed tonight.  We're back, and hitting the ground running with a new series upcoming, and of course all the details of this current week, plus an upcoming ONE Marriage Conference. It's all good!